You and Me, Me and You
by Shiroi Ryuu
Summary: Misty deals with Ash's cluelessness about her feelings for him... will she ever succeed telling him? Tracey is helping her all the way, but could she just manage to forget that old pride on her wrecked bike? He, he! Flame me if you must! Reviews are s


YOU AND ME,   
ME AND YOU  
  
  
ONE: IN FRONT OF THE FIRE  
  
Misty looked across the campfire at Ash Ketchum, who was lying on his bright blue sleeping bag, snoring noisily. Beside him was Pikachu, all curled up and snoozing contentedly. Misty sighed as she wrapped her arms closer around Togepi. It chirruped happily and snuggled peacefully down in her arms to sleep.   
  
Misty diverted her thoughts again at Ash. They were together since Ash had destroyed her bike in an effort to save Pikachu a long time ago. She had pestered him all throughout his journey about her bike. Now that Brock had gone off with Professor Ivy, she constantly reminded him, with some annoyance, still about her bike.   
  
But that really didn't matter much anymore. Even with him always going off and being stubborn about doing his own way, he was a great friend. He was always willing to give a hand and help out, no matter how worse they were stuck in a situation. Although Misty hadn't had a clear idea of how affectionate he could really be, she observed that he did anything for his Pokemon to make sure they were all right. Sometimes she was even annoyed because he seemed to love his Pokemon more than he loved himself, and that always got him into all sorts of scrapes. On the other hand, Misty admired that trait of his, how he was willing to risk is everything for the ones he truly cared about.  
  
The campfire glowed in the dark, and Misty thought about Ash for a long, long while. Somehow, she can't get her thoughts off him that night, and she didn't know why. She sat there, engrossed with her thoughts, when she felt a soft tap on her shoulder. She gasped, and whirled around.  
  
"Hey, why aren't you sleeping yet?" It was Tracey. He blinked at the campfire sleepily.   
  
"I'm not sleepy yet."  
  
Tracey had a look of surprise sketched on his face. It was the first time he saw Misty up late. He quirked his lips and smiled.  
  
"Well, you better go get rest now. We'll have a long day tomorrow."  
  
"Go ahead. I'll just wait until sleep comes over me." Misty stared at the campfire, tears suddenly filling her eyes. Why couldn't Ash be that concerned over her? And why was she thinking of this? Misty wished that Tracey was ten thousand miles away at that moment, so that he wouldn't see her crying. He would probably think I'm crazy, she thought.  
  
"Hey, are you crying?"  
  
Misty wiped her tears with the back of her hand. "No, the smoke just stung my eyes."  
  
Tracey sat up from his red sleeping bag. "I know why you're crying. You're thinking of Ash, aren't you?"  
  
Misty bolted up. "No way! Why would I think of that jerk, much more cry about him? D'you think I'm that stupid?"  
  
Tracey help up his hands in surrender. "Hey, I was just joking! Why are you suddenly so defensive?"  
  
That caught her off guard. Misty settled back and hugged her knees. She couldn't think of anything to tell Tracey just then.  
  
Tracey saw the look on her face. Hey, maybe Misty cares for Ash after all, he thought, his face broadening into a grin.  
  
Misty spied him with the corner of her eye. "Whatever it is you're thinking, Tracey, stop it."  
  
"Take it easy, Misty. I'm not doing anything wrong." Tracey laughed inwardly. He was already forming plans in his head. But who knows? He can't just interfere like that. This would have to take a lot of time. Wait a minute, he wasn't even sure if Misty really cared about him. He would have to stand an outburst later on.  
  
"Uh, Misty; Do you care anything about Ash?"  
  
Misty sat up straight with a start. "What the heck are you talking about?"  
  
Ooh, you just have to deny, do you? Tracey pursued on. He had to pair them up quick. He could sense both of them needed a relationship-- bad. Thinking of relationships made Tracey remember Tina, his sort- of girlfriend, back at home.  
  
"You know what I mean."   
  
"If you mean THAT kind of thing... well, I'm not so interested in that stuff right now." Misty was having a hard time of deciding whether or not she'd let Tracey come in and help. They've been friends for only a short while... but it was nice to have someone to talk to about it. Maybe-- if she told Tracey it wouldn't be so bad after all. She turned to Tracey and betrayed her eyes.  
  
"Will you swear not to tell ANYTHING to Ash?"   
  
"Sure. I promise." Here it goes, Tracey thought. He would need all the understanding he knew about women. It was crazy how it got to him, actually. He was a year older than both of them, and helping them would really be no big deal. Just to see if he could play Cupid this time...  
  
"Yeah, I do care about him." Misty turned to stare at Ash again, a lump forming in her throat.  
  
"So why don't you tell him?"  
  
Misty rolled her eyes. "DUH, Tracey! As if he cared back! And I'm not stupid to do things like that!"  
  
"Why don't you let him know, to find out? He might've liked you all along."  
  
Misty sighed. She didn't know how he felt for her... that was her problem. But if he cared, then...  
  
"I can't. I'm afraid, all right? And it's not easy..." One thing Misty kept was her pride. She had lots of it. She wouldn't give in even though she was lonely. Showing her feelings were hard enough, much less TELLING it. There was a barrier that set her from Ash-- her own pride. Inside, she knew she was just afraid of rejection.  
  
Tracey knew it. He would have a hard time getting Misty to open up her shell... so like her Pokemon. Rigid, hard and tough on the outside but sensitive, soft and vunerable inside. He understood.  
  
"Is he too-- transparent for you?"  
  
Misty nodded. "He can't seem to see things the way they should be."  
  
The fire was beginning to fade. The early dawn peeked slyly behind the purple hills. Tracey smiled sympathetically.  
  
"Okay, Misty. Try showing him how you feel. Actions do speak louder than words," He dug into his sleeping bag. "Why don't you go and sleep now? It's already one- thirty. Don't sweat. I won't tell him... I'll help you out, okay?"  
  
Misty smiled. "Fine then, I'll try. Thanks, Tracey. Good morning."  
  
  
  
--  
  
AN: Oh, no... don't look at me like that! It's not that I'm into Pokemon, but I'll try to get rid of Ash and Misty's seeming cluelessness... It's a change from Escaflowne fics at the moment. How weird. Anyways, tell me what you thought about it. Suggestions are welcome, yknow-- anyways, ja! Cya in the next chapter!  
  
shiroi (c) 2001  
  
  



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